Listen
by MidwestMexican
Summary: It wasn't something Hiccup noticed when he was younger, nobody listened to him anyway. As he got older though he realized that none of the riders really listened to him either. One night he just wants to be left alone, but when they try to get him to listen to them he snaps and gives them all a piece of his mind. Can they fix their mistake and show Hiccup they want to listen to him


**A/N: A one shot idea that had me up late last night thinking about it. So I noticed that in a lot of RTTE episodes the other riders kind of just don't listen to Hiccup. They either ignore him or flat out disobey or undermine him (I'm looking your way Astrid, Snotlout, & and the twins) So after so much time I think Hiccup would have enough let me know what you think. Also check out my story Wrath of The Night Fury if you are new to my stories. It is a Star Wars/ revenge AU. Anyway hope you enjoy the One-shot. Be sure to leave a review I love reading them and the always make my day.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing**

 **Your Friendly Neighborhood Mexican ;p**

* * *

It wasn't something Hiccup noticed at first. How could he, no one had ever really listened to him before. Before Toothless and the Red Death so when people were still getting used to the idea of finally giving him the time of day and listening to what he had to say, they were unknowingly still not listening to him. It got better over time and some of his ideas were heard and some weren't. Build this catapult, put the next field of crops here, water system on the houses, and many more. Some were listened to and that is why he didn't notice at first.

The first time he noticed that people still didn't listen to him is when his dad left for Berk and put him in charge as acting chief and as a consequence of that the annual regatta. Things were going fine enough, as well as they could be anyway. Then Not so Silent Sven's sheep got loose, the dragon riders had managed to gather them all up no problem but when they wanted to replace the regatta with this Dragon Racing, as Tuff called it. Hiccup tried to put his foot down and keep the planned regatta in its place. He was still trying to impress his dad and show that he could do this one thing. So when he said that there would not be any Dragon Races he thought they would respect his wishes as acting chief.

He was fairly mad when he woke up the next morning to see all the dragon riders chasing each other around the island in an attempt to get the most sheep. It hurt Hiccup a little more to see that Astrid had apparently organized the entire thing. He thought that she would respect his wishes as acting chief but that just wasn't the case. While everything turned out to be fine despite Astrid getting a broken arm in a run in with Snotlout and Hookfang and even his dad liking the event not to mention the whole of Berk. He was still a little miffed at the end of it because even when it was known throughout the island that he was acting chief and he had given an order no one had listened to him. Not even Astrid.

* * *

One of the next big things happened a few years later just a few months before Hiccup and the other would end up founding the Dragon's Edge. Hiccup had set up patrol routes for all the riders and gave clear instructions on what to do and what not to do. Snotlout was to patrol the East, the twins would get the West, and Fishlegs the North, and Hiccup and Astrid would take the South. Simple orders Hiccup thought a good way to test out his leadership he thought. He told the twins and Snotlout to not blow anything up and to keep their eyes open Dagur and Alvin were still out there and looking for them and the chance to take Berk.

He knew he should have stuck the twins with someone else and sent either himself or Astrid to the West but he wanted to spend time with Astrid as he was finally trying to make a move on her after years of waiting. Either the Gods or his misplaced faith in twins to follow orders were to blame what followed next. As he and Astrid came back from their patrol and Hiccup having barely managed to tell her that he liked being around her and wanted to be around her more…of course only if she wanted that. Her response was stopped as the sight and smell of smoke filled their eyes and noses and the image of several houses burning and Outcasts and Berserkers storming through Berk ransacking the place.

They managed to repel the attackers but not without a few injuries and Hiccup being forced to surrender in order to get them to leave. Sure he was rescued two days later but not before Dagur and Alvin got their pound of flesh so to speak and beat and tortured Hiccup to within an inch of his life. He was forced to stay in his house for a couple weeks while his body recovered. He later found out that the twins were busy destroying sea stacks and trying to figure out if they could build a boar pit on one, which allowed the fleet of ships to slip by and catch Berk off guard. Hiccup moaned out in frustration because once again his orders were not followed by even his friends. He started to have doubts if he could ever lead the village if he couldn't even get the dragon riders to follow his orders. He figured maybe they just needed to get away from Berk, maybe they didn't want to take orders from him when his dad was still around. But if they were out on their own and with him being the heir to the island they would have to listen to him. At least that is what he thought. So when he was finally allowed out of bed he went up to his dad telling him he wanted to go out and explore the Archipelago to find new dragons and to test his mettle he was worried his dad would say no.

* * *

At first he did but after enough convincing and saying that it would be like his right of passage before he could take the throne from his dad did Stoick agree. Hiccup was thrilled that his dad let him go but he was also a little hurt that he had to try so hard to get his dad to see what he wanted, he had to try so hard to get him to listen.

Everyone was excited when Hiccup came up to them and announced that he wanted to lead them on an expedition across the Archipelago to find new dragons and test their skills. Astrid and Fishlegs were thrilled at the idea, the twins having learned nothing from their disastrous patrol debacle thought it would be a chance to blow up some new islands and Snotlout seemed to scoff at the idea of Hiccup leading them anywhere but came along none the less.

When they finally found the island Hiccup wanted to get a camp set up right and eventually turn it into a base for their explorations. He knew that everyone should have some input as to how their own huts were designed and what the general layout of the base should look like and he gave them each the time they deserved. Like a leader should, he thought, include everyone and make them feel welcome and wanted, which they were but maybe they didn't all feel like that before. But when it came time for Hiccup to voice what he wanted for the island and how they should go about building everything, everyone seemed to just tune him out or ignore him even after he banged on the table even Astrid didn't hear him. It took Toothless roaring out to get everyone to look over at him and it hurt that they listen to his dragon more than they would him. He took a deep breath and voiced his ideas of what he wanted and how they should go about it. He was met with groans, eye rolls, and heads thunking down onto to tables from the twins, Snotlout, and even Astrid a little when he mentioned that it would be a lot of work and everyone would need to help out. His confidence took a hit that night but he managed to power through when the next day everyone seemed to work together like a group and everyone was listening to one another, even Hiccup. He thought that he had finally become a leader. He was very wrong.

* * *

The adventure that Hiccup and the others had while on the Edge were something that Hiccup never expected but was grateful for most of them none the less. There were still bouts of when the dragon riders as a whole did not listen to him when he tried to give orders on what their plan of attack would be but the ones that hurt the most is when Astrid wouldn't listen. Sometimes she would go out on her own and dismiss the patrol route that Hiccup had given her. She would try to push her body to heal faster or try and convince Hiccup that she was okay when she knew she wasn't and only end up hurting herself more, she even refused to listen to him when she was blinding by that bolt of lightning. Sure that time everything turned out okay but the other times she got hurt even worse and all because she didn't listen to Hiccup to rest and heal up. The moment that Hiccup was hurt in anyway though Astrid would demand that he lay down and rest and even took his leg a couple times. Those times bothered Hiccup more than anything it is not that he wouldn't have rested he just wanted to be listened to like he had listened to her and he thought that those instances would be done when he gave her the Betrothal necklace.

Astrid got a bit better at listening to him but the twins and Snotlout got worse for some reason or another while on the Edge. They started to blatantly question him and tried to undermine his orders by going out on their own which only led the other riders to be forced to save them and usually ended up with Hiccup getting a new scar. They just wouldn't listen no matter how bad it got only when it turned out that Johann was a traitor did they pull back together but that is when Astrid started up again. She undermined him when she brought Garf along to the island where the Flyers were catching singe tails and got them stuck because they had to go and rescue Garf. Hiccup was really pissed at that one because he knew that something like this would happen but she didn't listen to him again. Once again they managed to get out of that mess okay but Hiccup could shake the feeling at the time. Was this how it was going to be when they got married and he was the chief? Would she even listen to him then or would it be more of the same.

* * *

 _(Two months after RTTE Season 6, present time)_

Hiccup was grimacing as he walked through the village and toward his house. He had just gotten done with saving all the dragon riders again after they went to try and loot all of the flyers and dragon hunter's ships and bases. After Hiccup had given them the order not to go, that they were all more than likely booby trapped and very dangerous. He had made it an order after everyone kept trying to get him to allow them to go. Fishlegs even wanted to go to see if they had any notes on dragons that he didn't have. Hiccup had put his foot down though but a lot of good that did him.

He figured that the twins and Snotlout would try and sneak off without telling anyone and only get into trouble with no back up coming. He was surprised and hurt to see Astrid and Fishlegs go off as well. He thought they would understand and listen to him but that was just not the case. As he suspected the first ship that they went to was booby trapped, it knocked out their dragons, punched a hole in the floor, and started to fill with sea water. Hiccup managed blow a top piece of the deck off and put all the dragons on it to float and then had to break off even more pieces for everyone else to float on while their dragons recovered. He ended up losing his footing and his leg bent at an awkward angle, to make matters worse it had to be his left leg. He fought through it though and managed to save everyone again. Now he was tired and just wanted to be alone, though it seems even he wasn't allowed that luxury. The riders were all following him and saying thanks for saving them.

'I shouldn't have had to if you had all listened to me in the first place.' Hiccup thought bitterly.

Astrid was the first one to notice that Hiccup was in some kind of pain as he was walking toward his house she stepped in front of him to stop him.

"Hiccup are you alright, you look like you are in some pain?" Astrid asked softly.

Instantly all the others noticed Hiccup's labored breathing like he was trying to not show how much pain he was really in.

"I'm fine Astrid I just want to go home and rest." Hiccup replied through gritted teeth.

Astrid furrowed her brow with concern at hearing Hiccup's tone. She reached out and placed a hand on his arm.

"If you are in that much pain we are taking you to Gothi." Astrid said softly.

All the others agreed with her but Hiccup was not in the mood to listen to what they were telling him. They wouldn't listen to him why should he do it for them.

"I said I'm fine I just want to go home." Hiccup grunted out as he pressed onward.

He was stopped again by Astrid who now had a serious look on her face, the one that said she wasn't taking no for an answer. Hiccup however was going to give her just that, he didn't know what in him snapped but tonight was the last straw.

"Hiccup we are taking you to Gothi end of story." Astrid stated.

"Yeah come on man." The twins stated in unison.

"Go and get your little leg looked at." Snotlout said trying to sound indifferent even though he secretly cared.

"You should really listen to her Hiccup." Fishlegs responded.

Hiccup just started laughing when he heard Fishlegs' comment. He could not believe that these guys were trying to get him to listen them when not hours ago they didn't listen to him and as a result of that they almost died and it led to his current situation in the first place. He turned around and wiped his eyes still laughing.

"Why should I listen to her, to any of you?" Hiccup laughed out.

They all were still in shock at what amounted to them as a random fit of laughter followed by a really bizarre question.

"Because I'm worried about you Hiccup." Astrid answered.

"I was worried about you guys too when I told all of you guys to stay away from the flyers and hunter's ships and bases. I even had to make it an order for you all to not go and yet you still all went and once again I got hurt saving people who didn't listen to me. So tell me why I should listen to you when you all almost never listen to me." Hiccup snapped back his arms over his chest and glaring down at his friends.

The air got silent as no one knew how to respond to Hiccup's accusation. He was right they knew that but they were trying to figure out what he meant by them almost never listening to him ever.

"What do you mean we almost never listen I almost _always_ listen to you." Astrid answered back.

"Except tonight, that time you brought Graf who was untrained on a dangerous mission when I told you not to, forcing me to bring you on missions when you were blind from the lightning strike, times when you dismissed the patrol routes I gave, forced yourself to train when I told you rest or you would hurt yourself more which you did." Hiccup listed off.

"Snotlout and the twins I have no idea what there problem was but it seemed like they never listened to a single damn thing I said. They were always disobeying me and forcing me to come and save them which ended up with me captured that one time or always getting some new type of scar that I would rather not have." Hiccup continued.

"Fishlegs you just follow them but you still don't listen to me. Then let's not forget where this all started years ago after we caught all of Not so Silent Sven's sheep and you all wanted to replace the regatta with dragon racing." Hiccup finished.

"But that turned out to be a good thing!" Astrid tried to argue.

"That's not the point Astrid. The point is that at the time I was acting chief and you all still disobeyed me. I was still trying to impress my dad and I wanted things to go right for a change. Sure it turned out fine but even my status as heir didn't make you guys listen to me. Hell even when I listened to you guys I figured that is what a leader does, he lets his people be heard and in turn they will hear them. Why the fuck do you think I got my dad to let us go out and explore and find the Edge. It was to test my leadership. But I see how well all that went. If I can't even get you guys to listen to me then how am I supposed to get a whole island to listen to me?" Hiccup asked sarcastically.

"Oh I know this one, I know this one! You can't" Ruff said looking very proud of himself.

Hiccup didn't answer him he just kept looking at Astrid as he walked up to her. He could see that she was wearing the Betrothal necklace he got her and fished it out by grabbing the string. He looked at it before he let it fall against Astrid's chest before sighing.

"We are supposed to be a team Astrid we are supposed to tell each other how we feel and listen to other when it's time to listen. We got one part of that down, sort of. But it feels like I'm the only one who listens. You tell me to rest, to train, go on a patrol, check in, follow orders and I do because I love you but when it comes time for you to listen to me when I give orders, or tell you to rest and take it easy, that taking an untrained dragon on a mission is a terrible idea or even telling you stay away from clearly booby trapped ships and bases. You just brush it off like it has no holding over you. Not just you but every single one of you do that. I listen to you but none of you listen to me." Hiccup finished as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

When he opened his eyes back up he could tell that by their reactions that nobody had realized that he was feeling like this or how what they had done would look like if anyone found out. Astrid looked like she was on the brink of tears as her eyes started to shine, Fishlegs was fiddling with his thumbs, the twins' mouths were hanging open and Snotlout was just looking at the ground.

"All I ever wanted was to be listened too and respected as a leader but looks like everyone but me gets what they want. So thanks for making it very clear that my word means nothing to you guys, I had held out hope for so long that it would one day change but I can see now that it won't. Now if you will excuse me I am going home to rest as it is very late, I'm tired, and I am in a fair amount pain don't worry about me I know how to take care of my own leg." Hiccup said as he turned around and walked toward his house.

He never looked back to see the shocked and horrified faces of his friends but he wasn't in the greatest of moods at the moment. As he opened the door to his house he sat down in front of the fire and started to rub his leg to try and soothe the pain. He let out a small laugh as he realized that he had done everything that he had said at the very end and quietly whispered to himself.

"At least someone listens to me."

* * *

 _(Three days later)_

The group of dragon riders had begun to organize a way to apologize to Hiccup the next morning after their argument. Astrid was more determined than she had ever been as she took it as if she had dishonored herself in the eyes of her promised and come Hel or high-water she was going to get it back. When they all thought about what Hiccup had said they had come to the gut punching truth that he was right. They didn't really listen to him the way that they had seen others listen to their leaders. Hell they could even tell that they listen to Stoick more than Hiccup and while he is the chief and that would count for some of it, Hiccup was the heir and should have been given the same benefit.

"Is everyone in place?" Astrid asked.

"Aye, aye future chieftess." Ruff and Tuff responded.

Fishlegs and Snotlout both just nodded and waited to play their part in the plan. Astrid nodded her head at their response and waited for Hiccup to come out of his house to start the morning. They noticed that he was looking a little down but that was expected after the other night. Hiccup hadn't been himself and had avoided everyone in their little group. She smiled though as she heard Hiccup's name be echoed throughout the village as villager after villager came running up to his house.

The plan was that Astrid had pulled Stoick aside and gave him the short version of what Hiccup had told them and of course he was very concerned by this. He was of course very upset with the dragon riders for making his son feel this way but he was willing to go along with the plan. The plan was for Stoick to disappear for a day and watch as the villagers all turned to Hiccup to guide them.

As villager after villager flooded to Hiccup he took it in stride and did his best not to flounder in front of everyone. He organized fish parties, set up patrols around the island, gave lesson plans for the new dragon riders, took inventory, even planned a few repairs and new buildings to be put in. throughout the day everyone did what Hiccup had told them and the riders had worked their way into the groups that Hiccup had assigned and got to work, listening to what Hiccup had said needed to be done.

Hiccup was standing up on top the steps of the Great Hall looking out at the village as it worked. He couldn't help the feeling of pride and satisfaction he felt deep in his core as the people were working and had listened to his ideas, they let him lead them and nobody questioned him or went off on their own. The sun was setting and while he was worried about his dad and where he could have gotten he wasn't too worried. All the battles were done and there weren't any enemies that he knew of that were beating down their door. He was very surprised to see that in all the groups that he had assigned jobs and instructions that the dragon riders were among them and working diligently. He smiled at the sight but still questioned it a little. He heard the doors open behind him and felt a massive hand placed on his shoulder. He looked up to his dad smiling and looking out at the village.

"Hey dad where did you get off to today?" Hiccup asked.

"Oh just wanted to go and get lost in the woods for a day clear my head and what not. Sorry I didn't tell you. Did you have any trouble with the village?" Stoick asked with great interest.

"No I didn't. They were all at first worried about where you had gotten off too and then they started pelting me with questions about what to do, when to do it, how to do it, and so on and so on. I freaked out at first but once I got people pointed in the right direction with a bit of instruction everything went off without a hitch." Hiccup said with a huge smile.

"So they all listened to you then?" Stoick asked the baited question.

He looked back to the still open door to see all the riders peering through with huge smiles and baited breath.

"Yeah they did, they all did. I didn't think they would." Hiccup whispered out.

"Well you are the heir and future chief of course they would listen to you." Stoick pressed on with a smile.

"Yeah I guess they did." Hiccup said still trying to believe it.

"I still can't believe it." He whispered out.

"Well you better believe it." Astrid said as she stepped through the door and toward Hiccup.

He whipped around so fast he nearly fell down the stairs. He regained his footing and looked at Astrid.

"A-A-Astrid what are you doing here?" Hiccup asked clearly in shock.

"Enjoying the moment you realize that people want to listen to you." She said softly.

"Hiccup we all owe you an apology. _I_ owe you an apology. You once told me that you had been taking me for granted and didn't pay attention to things that were important to me. You told me you love me with everything you have and that you would never do it again." She said softly as she smiled at the memory.

"Now it's my turn. Hiccup you are right I haven't listened to you as much as I should have. Now and in the past. You did everything I asked and always listened to me if I had something to say. I didn't return the favor and in turn it made you feel inadequate and that is the last thing I ever wanted to do." Astrid said as she grasped the necklace that hung down her chest.

"I'm so sorry Hiccup. You were right we are supposed to be a team and that includes listening to one another. Well I heard you loud and clear the other night and today was no accident. We planned for your dad to be 'missing' so that the villagers would have to come to you. Nobody but us knew so all the reactions you saw today were genuine. They wanted to listen to you and wanted to be led by you. It should never have gotten this way Hiccup we are sorry. I am sorry can you forgive me." Astrid said as she looked down at the ground.

Hiccup was frozen in shock as he heard Astrid's apology. He never suspected a thing that something like this was behind his dad's absence. He looked back up to Astrid and the other riders and feeling of relief spread over him. They had listened to his plight and had gone above and beyond to fix their mistakes and give him back the confidence that was slowly drifting away. He walked up to Astrid and grasped her face gently and had her look up at him. Her eyes were shinning with unshed tears and a look of uncertainty. He smiled at her and leaned in to give her a tender kiss. Taken by surprise it took her a moment to realize what was happening before she kissed him back. When Hiccup pulled away he smiled at her.

"I hear you loud and clear." He whispered softly.

"He's not going to kiss _all_ of us is he?" Tuff's worried voice broke the silence.

Everyone blinked and just laughed at the male twin's terror and shook it off as they reassured him that Hiccup was only ever going to kiss Astrid. He turned to everyone and accepted their apology with joy that they had finally listened to him.


End file.
